Basketball training aid



United States Patent Inventors George G. Wright Box 306; David'E. Patterson, Box 73, Nanton, Alberta, Canada Appl. No. 738,344

Filed June 19, 1968 Patented Dec. 29, 1970 BASKETBALL TRAINING AID 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 273]].5 Int. Cl A63b 69/00 Field of Search 273/l.5, 26, 55; 273/58(5), 95(1) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1933 Zimmer (273/26UX) 2,680,022 6/l954 273/26 2,925,274 2/1960 273/26 3,042,404 7/1962 273/55 3,086,775 4/1963 273/26 3,288,466 11/1966 Cumings 273/l.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 477,369 0/1953 Italy .L

Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Paul E. Shapiro Attorney-Weir, Marshall, Mac Rae &. Lamb ABSTRACT: A basketball training aid comprises a track adapted to be mounted in inclined relation to a floor. A guide is slidingly mounted on the track and has directly and rigidly attached thereto a basketball-simulating membeL'The user shoots the basketball member along the inclined track and on its gravitational return travel along the track it engages a stop on the track.

PATENTEU M029 I976 PATENT AGENT BASKETBALL TRAINING AID BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY or THE INVENTION The invention seeks to perform the following functions:

a. to develop isotonic resistance for shooting a basketball in wrist, fingers, and arms; b. to develop a proper technique for shooting in basketball; c. to visualize the importance of proper height and trajectory in shooting basketballs; d. to develop better offensive basketball players; e. to increase the range (distance from point of shooting to basket) with increased accuracy for players; f. to indicate immediately where a shot needs improvement and to show the player how to improve it without additional coaching; and f. to provide a psychological aid in the playing of basketball. The invention is believed to provide a practice shooting technique which saves time as compared with the actual practice shooting of baskets. The mere shooting of a basketball offers no guarantee for a repeating successful performance or the learning of a proper fundamental technique. Coaching time on shooting fundamentals is also decreased.

Practice of the present invention requires a minimum of space and facilities. I

The invention resides in the provision of a track which is adapted to be mounted in a fixed position. A basketball or basketball-simulating member is fixed to a guide slidingly mounted on the track. Shooting practice is performed by a player shooting the basketball member along the fixed track.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a perspective view of the device of the invention in erected position;

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation of the device;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a portion of the device; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a track anchor and tension adjustment means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The device of the present invention comprises a track 10 which may be a flexible line, cable or the like. The track is adapted to be mounted in a fixed position which, as indicated in FIG. 2, is an inclined upright position with respect to a floor or playing surface 11. Preferably, the track is disposed at an angle of 65--75 with respect to surface 111.

The lower or floor end of the track is anchored by means of a mounting plate 12 fixed to the floor. The upper end of the track is anchored by means of a mounting plate 13 fixed, for instance, to ceiling 14.

Slidingly mounted on the track is a tubular guide 15 which, as shown, comprises an outer tube 16 having an internal diametersubstantially greater than the diameter of line 10, and an inner tube 17 fixed within each end portion of tube 16. The internal diameter of each tube 17 is slightly greater than the diameter of line 10 to permit ease of sliding movement of the guide on the track while ensuring a substantially fixed path of movement therealong).

Fixed to guide mem er 16 by means of bracket 18 is a basketball or basketball-simulating member 19. Ball 19 is of regulation size. A stop 20, which may comprise a rubber block, is fixed to track 10 to limit downward movement of the guide and ball. The position of stop 20 on the track may be adjusted by means of a setscrew 21.

Desirably, means are provided for adjusting the tension of the track 10. Any suitable means may be employed. One such means is shown by a way of example in FIG. 4 wherein the plate 12, seated on spacer block 22, has a threaded socket 23. A hollow threaded plug 24 is mounted in the socket. The end of track 10 is provided with an anchor flange 25 located within the plug. A locknut 26 fixes the plug in adjusted relation to the plate 12.

In use, the player shoots the ball up the track and, of course, it will return to its original position (as determined by the stop) by gravity. The player may continue this shooting procedure for any desired length oftime. Obviously, continued practice will proportionally increase the players shooting ability. The ball is shot in accordance with the proper fundamentals of g basketball shooting. The length of the shot along the track is dependent upon arm, wrist and finger strength developed.

The selected preferred angle of track (65-75) has been determined to be the most appropriate angle, for optimum basketball shooting.

We claim:

1. A basketball training aid comprising a line, means for anchoring the ends of said line in a vertically inclined position, a rigid elongated tubular guideadapted to be Slidingly sleeved on said line, said guide having end portions of an internal diameter closely approaching the diameter of said line to ensure a substantially fixed path of movement therealong, a basketball-simulating member directly and rigidly attached to the midsection of said guide, and a stop for said guide adjustably positioned on said line.

2. A basketball training aid as defined in claim 1, each of said end portions of said guide having an internal diameter less than that of the remaining portion of said guide.

3. A basketball training aid as defined in claim 2, said line being flexible, and means associated with one of said anchoring means for adjusting the tension of said line. 

